Canada/Alaska 2019-13: Stewart, BC/Hyder, AK

Kinaskan Lake, 6:30 AM. Even though we'd shortened the drive to Stewart/Hyder by 209 km (135 mi) by camping at Kinaskan, we were on the road by 7:00.


Now yellow flowers blanketed the roadsides...

...along with the ubiquitous pink fireweed.

Patches of snow dotted the mountains under blue skies--for now.

The variety of green hues never ceases to amaze.

The first bear of the morning didn't stick around for a picture, but the second was a bit more curious before departing.

At Meziadin Junction, we turned west off the Cassiar Highway, toward the coast.

Doug had been this way in 2017 and wanted so very much to share it with me. 

The road follows the glacier-fed Bear River.

Similar to many in the region, the river is "braided" by downed trees and glacial gravel, its course constantly changing.

Piles of large rocks supporting electric poles might be a clue to the region's climate.

Bear Glacier, which flows into the Bear River, is part of the Cambria Ice Fields.

Third black bear of the morning...

...and fourth, fifth, and sixth.

As mama wandered our way, one cub stuck close by.

Upon realizing he'd been left behind, the other set out at a gallop.

By 11:00 AM, we were in Stewart, British Columbia, population 500. 

We found a site at Rainey Creek Campsite, a short walk to downtown, with a garden sculpture along the way.

The sound of happy voices led us to the bikes' owners, mothers and kids, across the street at the creek.

Tourist on a park bench.

The entire town is cheerfully painted.

I kept coming across this handsome guy....

Bullwinkle was there, too!

Stewart is a mix of prosperity and poverty, with some renovations underway downtown. Businesses cater to tourists year round.

An elevated boardwalk extends over the mud flats where the original Stewart was built on pilings, visible in the photo below. 

Mining created a population in Stewart/Hyder of about 10,000 in the early 20th century. 

Today, shipping logs out the 90-mile-long Portland Canal is a major industry in Stewart.

Small tugs corral the logs.

Hyder, AK is literally across the street from Stewart, BC. There used to be a Hyder, BC, also, which served Premier Mine workers--and Hyder, AK residents, who walked over during Prohibition then walked home again. An Alaskan Village Where Grizzlies Roam and Canada Rules (if Anyone Does), a 2016 New York Times article captures the flavor of the area. 

Driving to Hyder.

If you wish--which we didn't--you can get "Hyderized" at the Glacier Inn, which apparently involves surviving a rather alcoholic drink in exchange for a free meal.

Looking out Portland Canal (a fjord), the boundary between Canada and Alaska, from the Hyder dock. Regrettably, the Alaska Ferry no longer comes here.

Hyder, the southernmost city on the Alaska panhandle, was originally named Portland City and like Stewart was built on pilings on the tidal flats. There being too many Portlands, the post office rejected the name, and Hyder, the name of a Canadian geologist/mining engineer, was adopted.

This sadly derelict boat is pretty typical of Hyder, which has few businesses and residents...

...as the departing sign alludes.

Storehouse #4, built in 1896 by the Army Corps of Engineers.

While there is no US border control, just a sign...

...across the street one must go through Canadian customs--Always. Over three days, we did so a good half dozen times, so we got to know the questions pretty well. Rumor is that Canada maintains the border due to past smuggling of cigarettes from Hyder. 

British Columbia  never seems to miss a chance to let you know you are there...even if you were just there an hour before....

There is a clever and helpful sign...

...followed by a trick...quick, how many MPH?

...or as they say in Hyder....

We had three reasons to go to Hyder. First was to drive the 28 km (17 mi) to Salmon Glacier. Unfortunately the weather was like this most of the time, and though the road goes to the toe of the glacier, we would have seen little.

The second reason was to see bears at the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site in Tongass National Forest. We bought a three-day pass to the viewing platform, but went only twice as it was raining miserably the third day.

There's that guy again! Doug saw both grizzly and black bears here in 2017.

 We were told we missed a grizzly when we left on our aborted trip to Salmon Glacier. The salmon--which is the reason the bears congregate here--had barely started running, and we saw only a couple of black bears. This guy paraded the length of the viewing platform...

...stood and looked...

...and looked...

...and tried to balance on a limb--apparently he didn't want to get his paws wet--

 ...but did not see the three large salmon...

..and departed under the highway bridge.

This bear just went straight for the plentiful berries.

The third reason we went to Hyder was to eat at The Bus, where Doug had been uanble to dine on his birthday in 2017, due to a tour bus preempting the owner/chef's time. He did get a Hyder button as a consolation prize. The bus is a unique experience, if not gourmet fare...or is it? Read on at The Bus in Hyder celebrates 20 years.

As we drove back through Hyder, a mama black bear and triplets crossed the road. 

We've found amazing what people travel in. In Stewart, we came across a couple from the south of France traveling in a Deux Cheuvaux RV. The small and basic yet functional vehicle was made from the '40s to the '70s, making it even older than Doug's VW. They'd shipped it from France to Uruguay in June 2018 and drove south past Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego then north. 

They were headed to tInuvik, Northwest Territory, north of the Arctic Circle, and eventually to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they'd ship the 2CV home. Amazing, no matter how much you have accomplished there are always others who have done more. Nice couple.

Contrast the above to the rig of the Belgian couple we'd previously met along the Cassiar Highway. They are going the opposite direction, having shipped their rig to Halifax in June 2018 and planning to ship it home from Uruguay in two years.

Our last stop before leaving Stewart was the core sample heap. We have cylindrincal bars in the garden that Doug brought home in 2017. This time he seleccted half cylinders. 

Then it was up the highway along the fast-moving Bear River, destination Prince Rupert, BC.